About Us

Mission Statement

The Society strives to promote the study and practice of orthodontics, to maintain and improve professional standards in orthodontics and to encourage research and education in orthodontics. In doing so, BOS seeks to improve the quality of medical care for the benefit of patients. The charity’s ultimate beneficiaries are therefore patients, and benefits to patients are provided through the advancement of knowledge, practice and standards in the specialty.

BOS

The British Orthodontic Society is a registered charity, and a company limited by guarantee, not having share capital.

BOS originally came into existence on 1 July 1994 by the unification of the five existing national orthodontic societies. The founding societies were:

The British Society for the Study of Orthodontics, founded in 1907, and the oldest national orthodontic society.

The Consultant Orthodontists Group, formed in 1964 to represent Orthodontic Consultants in the hospital service.

The Community Orthodontists Section of the British Association of Orthodontists, to represent community orthodontists.

The British Association of Orthodontists (“BAO”), established in 1965 to represent specialist orthodontic practitioners. The Community Orthodontists Section was founded in 1974 as the Association of Community Orthodontists, which then evolved into the Community Orthodontists Group and became affiliated to BAO in 1987, and changed its name in 1988.

The Association of University Teachers of Orthodontics, to represent orthodontic teachers.

Since unification, all bodies have accepted BOS as the sole national representative of all orthodontists. The respect afforded to the Society greatly exceeds that given to the founding societies separately. The Department of Health has come to regard the Society as the appropriate body to consult on matters relating to orthodontic services and the standards of care for patients.

BOS was initially an unincorporated charity, but the Society was incorporated on 14 January 1999, and the newly formed company became a registered charity on 22 January 1999.

The British Orthodontic Society is governed by the rules and regulations set down in its company Memorandum and Articles of Association, originally dated 14 January 1999 and updated subsequently with the last update agreed at the BOS AGM 22 September 2012.